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Taylor Swift Gushes Over Her 1st Song With Jack Antonoff on October 29, 2023 at 7:55 pm Us Weekly
Taylor Swift has had plenty of collaborators over the years, but none of them have stuck quite like Jack Antonoff.
Since their 2012 meeting, the pair have worked together on 10 albums and a few one-off singles — and became best friends in the process. “Sometimes he sits at the piano and we both just start ad-libbing and the song seems to create itself,” Swift told The New York Times in May 2017. “His excitement and exuberance about writing songs is contagious. He’s an absolute joy. That’s why everyone loves him. I personally wouldn’t trust someone who didn’t.”
The feeling is mutual, with Antonoff describing Swift as a trailblazer. “I’ve seen her change the music industry first-hand,” the Bleachers artist told NME in July 2021. “She’s amazing for being a champion, and making things better for the generations to come. She has a long history of rightly exposing some real darkness in the music industry. And I’m personally thankful for it, outside of our friendship and working relationship, just as an artist.”
Their connection outside of music runs deep too — Antonoff was by Swift’s side after her April 2023 split from Joe Alywn, and Swift was on hand when Antonoff wed Margaret Qualley in August 2023.
Keep scrolling for the complete timeline of Swift and Antonoff’s friendship:
November 2012
Swift and Antonoff first crossed paths at the MTV Europe Music Awards, where they reportedly bonded over their mutual love of the U.K. band Yazoo’s 1982 hit “Only You.” One month later, they saw each other again at the Grammys nomination concert.
Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift at the MTV EMAs 2012. Dave Hogan/MTV 2012/Getty Images for MTV
October 2013
The duo released their first official collaboration: Swift’s single “Sweeter Than Fiction” from the One Chance soundtrack.
October 2014
Swift released her fifth studio album, 1989. Antonoff produced the songs “Out of the Woods,” “I Wish You Would” and “You Are in Love.” In an Instagram post, Antonoff revealed that his favorite moment of “Out of the Woods” comes at the 2:28 mark. “Will one day write an essay on the different production I used on the song + how much working with taylor on it has meant to me,” he wrote at the time. “She’s a wonderful artist.”
May 2015
Swift revealed that “You Are in Love” — particularly the line “you’re my best friend” — was inspired by Antonoff’s relationship with then-girlfriend Lena Dunham. “I’ve never had that [in a relationship], so I wrote that song about things that Lena has told me about her and Jack,” Swift told Elle. “That’s just basically stuff she’s told me. And I think that that kind of relationship — God, it sounds like it would just be so beautiful — would also be hard. It would also be mundane at times.” (Antonoff and Dunham split in 2018 after five years together.)
February 2016
The twosome celebrated after 1989 won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. “We wrote and worked on 1989 in the tiniest spaces,” Antonoff wrote via Instagram after the ceremony, alongside a photo of Swift giving him an emotional hug. “A lot of time over voice notes and email — it really encourages me that those small dream like ideas between friends can become album of the year. winning a grammy for records you make the same way you did when u were a kid is important to me.”
Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift attend the 58th Grammy Awards on February 15, 2016. Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS
November 2017
Swift released her sixth studio album, Reputation, which featured production from Antonoff on the tracks “Look What You Made Me Do,” “Getaway Car,” “Dress,” “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” “Call It What You Want” and “New Year’s Day.”
August 2019
Swift and Antonoff collaborated again on her seventh studio album, Lover, which was her first release after her departure from Big Machine Records. Antonoff produced 11 songs on the LP, including “Cruel Summer,” “The Archer,” “Cornelia Street” and the title track.
July 2020
Swift surprised the world — then hunkered down amid the coronavirus pandemic — with her eighth studio album, Folklore. While the album featured production from new collaborator Aaron Dessner of The National, Antonoff worked on seven tracks, including “Betty” and “August.”
Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner and Taylor Swift pose onstage for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards broadcast on March 14, 2021. TAS Rights Management 2021 via Getty Images
November 2020
Antonoff starred alongside Swift in the Disney+ special Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, which was about the making of the album.
December 2020
Swift dropped her second surprise album of the year, Evermore, which again featured production and writing by Antonoff. (He’s credited on “Gold Rush” and “Ivy.”)
March 2021
Folklore won Album of the Year at the Grammys, making Swift the first woman to win that award three times (she also won for Fearless in 2010). “And @taylorswift, from 1989 to here … goddamn. you are the one who let me produce records first,” Antonoff wrote via Instagram after the ceremony. “Before you i just ‘wasn’t a producer’ according to the herbs. i just wasnt let in that room. then i met you, we made out of the woods and you said, ‘that’s the version’ and that changed my life right there.”
Laura Sisk, Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift, Aaron Dessner and Jonathan Low, winners of the Album of the Year award for ‘Folklore,’ pose in the media room during the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards on March 14, 2021. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
April 2021
Swift released Fearless (Taylor’s Version), her first rerecorded album from her Big Machine years. Antonoff produced some of the “From the Vault” tracks, including “Mr. Perfectly Fine” and “That’s When.”
September 2021
Swift posted a TikTok video with Antonoff nodding to their collaboration on “August” from Folklore. “Looks like we ran out of august,” she joked in her caption for the clip, which showed the duo sipping wine on a boat.
Looks like we ran out of august #august #folklore
November 2021
Swift dropped her second rerecorded album, Red (Taylor’s Version), which once again featured Antonoff production on the “From the Vault” tracks — including “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).” After the album’s release, Antonoff gushed in an Instagram post that he is “endlessly inspired” by Swift. “Nothing better than taylor … the artist and the person,” he added.
February 2022
Antonoff defended Swift after Blur frontman Damon Albarn claimed that she doesn’t write her own songs. “I don’t care if Damon Albarn or anyone likes or doesn’t like something,” he said during an interview on “The What” podcast. “But to unequivocally make a statement that isn’t true, that you actually have no idea about, and not to get too deep on it? Isn’t that kind of everything that’s wrong with our world at the moment? People talking about s–t that they have no clue about?”
May 2022
Antonoff credited Swift with kick-starting his career as a producer. “I’d been trying to produce for a while, but there was always some industry herb going, ‘That’s cute, but that’s not your lane,’” he told The New Yorker. “Taylor was the first person with the stature to go, ‘I like the way this sounds, I’m putting it on my album’ — and then, suddenly, I was allowed to be a producer.” (In addition to working with Swift, Antonoff has produced music with Lorde, St. Vincent, Lana Del Rey, The Chicks and Florence + The Machine.)
October 2022
Swift released her 10th studio album, Midnights, which featured Antonoff’s production on every track. Antonoff also made a cameo in the “Bejeweled” music video. “Midnights is a wild ride of an album and I couldn’t be happier that my co pilot on this adventure was @jackantonoff,” Swift wrote via Instagram after the album’s release. “He’s my friend for life (presumptuous I know but I stand by it) and we’ve been making music together for nearly a decade HOWEVER … this is our first album we’ve done with just the two of us as main collaborators.”
February 2023
The pals hung out at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, where Antonoff took home the trophy for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
Jack Antonoff and Taylor Swift at the 2023 Grammys. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
May 2023
Antonoff was a special guest during one of Swift’s New Jersey stops on the Eras Tour. The duo teamed up for an acoustic performance of “Getaway Car” during the surprise song portion of the set.
June 2023
Swift was spotted leaving a recording session with Antonoff at NYC’s Electric Lady Studios between dates on her Eras Tour.
July 2023
Swift released the rerecorded edition of Speak Now, which featured three “From the Vault” tracks produced by Antonoff: “Castles Crumbling,” “I Can See You” and “Timeless.”
August 2023
Swift attended Antonoff’s New Jersey wedding to Qualley and reportedly roasted the newlyweds during a 15-minute toast. That same month, Antonoff reposted a meme about Scooter Braun parting ways with many of his management clients. (Swift decided to rerecord her albums after Braun sold her masters.)
September 2023
Swift gave Antonoff a shout-out during one of her acceptance speeches at the MTV Music Video Awards, calling him one of her “best friends in the world.” She added: “He’s so talented it’s incomprehensible. And I’m so lucky I’ve been making music with him since we worked on an album called 1989. We’ll continue working together till 2089.”
October 2023
Swift released her fourth rerecorded album, 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which included five “From the Vault” tracks — all of which Antonoff produced. One special edition of the LP on vinyl included “Sweeter than Fiction,” Swift and Antonoff’s first collaboration. The song was originally recorded for the 2013 movie One Chance.
“There you’ll stand ten feet tall, I will say ‘I knew it all along,’” Swift shared alongside several throwback photos of herself and Antonoff via Instagram. “This song has always made me think of my friend Jack. It was the first song we made together and watching him challenge himself and make beautiful art over the years has been the thrill of a lifetime. How can he be 6 years older than me and also somehow still be my precocious young son? We may never know. ‘Sweeter Than Fiction (My Version)”’is now available exclusively at Target on Tangerine vinyl .”
Taylor Swift has had plenty of collaborators over the years, but none of them have stuck quite like Jack Antonoff. Since their 2012 meeting, the pair have worked together on 10 albums and a few one-off singles — and became best friends in the process. “Sometimes he sits at the piano and we both just
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Miley Cyrus is officially off the market: the pop superstar is engaged to musician Maxx Morando after four years together, and the speculation about “that ring” has finally been put to rest. The engagement caps a quietly steady relationship that has unfolded mostly out of the spotlight, marking a new chapter for Miley after years of highly public romances.
Engagement finally confirmed
Reports from major entertainment outlets confirm that Cyrus and Morando are engaged following her recent red-carpet appearance in Los Angeles.
Observers noticed a new diamond ring on her left-hand ring finger, and sources close to the singer have since confirmed that the jewelry is indeed an engagement ring. The news comes after days of online buzz and fan speculation, which began almost as soon as photos from the event hit social media.
The love story with Maxx Morando
Maxx Morando is a drummer and musician who has performed with bands like The Regrettes and has also worked as a producer and collaborator behind the scenes. He and Miley were first linked in late 2021, reportedly after meeting through mutual friends and hitting it off on a low-key first date that eventually grew into a long-term relationship. The pair have kept things relatively private, appearing together at select fashion shows, award events, and premieres rather than turning their romance into constant social-media content.
That very on-trend engagement ring
The ring that set the internet on fire features a cushion-cut diamond set on a chunky yellow gold band, a bold, fashion-forward design that fits Cyrus’s eclectic style. The piece is reported to be by designer Jacquie Aiche, whose jewelry is frequently worn by celebrities and known for mixing bohemian influences with luxury materials. Commentators note that the thick band and substantial stone are in line with the current trend toward statement engagement rings that feel modern and personal rather than traditional and dainty.
Fans react to Miley’s new chapter
Longtime fans who have watched Miley grow from Disney Channel star to Grammy-winning artist see this engagement as another milestone in her evolution. On social platforms, many have highlighted how different this relationship feels compared with her past, pointing to the couple’s low-key approach and shared creative interests as signs of a more grounded partnership. Others are already speculating about wedding plans, guest lists, and whether the singer might channel her “Flowers” era energy into a bridal look that breaks all the rules.
What this means for Miley’s image
Cyrus has spent the last few years redefining herself musically and personally, from the success of “Flowers” to acclaimed live performances and a more polished public image. This engagement to Morando reinforces that arc, presenting her as an artist who has found balance between rebellion and stability, independence and partnership. While no wedding details have been announced yet, the announcement alone ensures Miley and Maxx will remain at the center of pop culture conversations for months to come.
Mariah Carey did not just land a Christmas hit; she locked in a seasonal paycheck for life. Every year, All I Want for Christmas Is You is estimated to pull in somewhere between 2.5 and 3.3 million dollars in royalties, from streaming, radio, licensing, and all those store playlists that flip her on the second the Halloween decorations come down. Over three decades, that adds up to tens of millions tied to a single song, turning one holiday anthem into a textbook example of how a perfectly timed pop track can become a retirement plan in glitter.
What keeps it so sticky is how audiences respond to it emotionally. Fans describe the song as an instant mood-lifter: the kind of track that makes people abandon their carts in Target, sing in the dairy aisle, or scream the chorus in the car like a full-blown music video moment.
People love the mix of old-school Motown-style production, sleigh bells, and Mariah’s big, joyful vocals—it feels nostalgic without sounding dated, and romantic without being corny to most listeners.
For a lot of millennials and Gen Z, hearing that opening piano riff is the unofficial signal that the holidays have “officially started.”
Of course, the obsession is loud enough that the backlash is, too—but even the complaints prove its impact. Some listeners say they are tired of hearing it everywhere, from October onward, but that is partly because it dominates every Christmas playlist, radio rotation, and TikTok trend. Whether people are passionately belting it out or dramatically rolling their eyes, the engagement keeps the streams flowing—and the royalties stacking. Love it or hate it, All I Want for Christmas Is You has become the soundtrack to December, and Mariah collects a festive multimillion-dollar “thank you” every single year.
The Grinch didn’t just steal Christmas—he stole the box office. The 2018 animated film The Grinch turned holiday chaos into serious cash, grossing around $540 million worldwide on a modest $75 million budget, making it the highest‑grossing Christmas movie of all time. That is more than seven times its production cost, which is the kind of holiday return every studio dreams about.
Meanwhile, the 2000 live‑action How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carrey laid the groundwork for this green empire. That version pulled in roughly $345–347 million worldwide on a $123 million budget, turning a prickly Dr. Seuss villain into a perennial box‑office player and a meme‑ready holiday icon. The nostalgia around Carrey’s performance is a big part of why audiences were ready to show up again almost two decades later.
The Money Behind The Mayhem
The 2018 film did not just earn big—it earned smart.
It opened to more than $$67 million domestically in its first weekend and kept playing steadily through November and December, ultimately pulling in about $272 million in the U.S. and roughly $267 million internationally.
Then there is the profit. Trade estimates peg the film’s net profit in the neighborhood of nearly $185 million once theatrical revenue, home entertainment, and TV/streaming deals are baked in. That is before counting years of reruns, licensing, and holiday programming packages—every December, the Grinch gets another quiet deposit while everyone else is wrapping gifts.
Grinch vs. Everyone: Who’s Really On Top?
Here is how the Grinch stacks up against other Christmas heavyweights by worldwide box office:
| Film | Year | Worldwide Gross (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Grinch (animated) | 2018 | $510–540 million | Highest‑grossing Christmas movie ever |
| Home Alone | 1990 | ~$476 million | Longtime champ, now second place |
| How the Grinch Stole Christmas (live‑action) | 2000 | ~$345–347 million | Built the modern Grinch brand |
| The Polar Express | 2004 | ~$315 million | Holiday staple, trails both Grinch movies |
Different sources list slightly different totals, but they all agree: the 2018 Grinch sits at the top of the Christmas money mountain.
Why The Grinch Keeps Printing Money
The secret sauce is that the Grinch is more than a movie—he is a business model. Every version of this character hits a different emotional lane: Jim Carrey’s 2000 Grinch is pure chaotic energy and quotable nostalgia, while the 2018 Grinch is softer, cuter, and perfectly engineered for modern families and global audiences. Together, they keep the character relevant across generations, which is exactly what studios want from an evergreen holiday IP.
On top of box office and home sales, the character feeds theme‑park attractions, holiday events, branded specials, apparel, toys, and seasonal marketing campaigns. The Grinch went from “I hate Christmas” to “I own Christmas,” quietly turning grouchiness into one of the most profitable holiday brands on the planet.
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